Coffee, after going through the roasting process, immediately begins the degassing process. One of the most frequently asked questions is whether freshly roasted coffee is better. The answer varies, as each coffee is unique, depending on the coffee and its characteristics.

What is the degassing process?

When coffee is roasted, gases are formed inside it, mainly carbon dioxide. The degassing process is precisely the release of these gases that are formed during roasting and are released in the first few days after roasting.

The reason this process is important is directly related to the extraction of the coffee and the final flavor that remains in our cup. Due to the release of gases during extraction, when the ground coffee comes into contact with the water, some air bubbles can form. These air bubbles prevent the extraction from being uniform and will affect the flavor, because the water will not come into contact with the entire portion of coffee.

The degassing process should also not be excessive; the presence of carbon dioxide is not a negative thing, as long as it is not excessive. The presence of some gases is an indicator that our coffee is fresh and contributes to its preservation.

How long does it take to degas?

The answers to this question, as I have already mentioned, vary. This period usually varies between four days and three weeks, depending on the quality of the coffee, the way it was processed and the roast. The ideal is to roast a few samples of each coffee and taste them until your palate tells you the right period.

During this degassing period, it is important to store the coffee well, in a relatively cool, dark place and avoid contact with oxygen so that the coffee does not oxidize.